


Films in Dark Rooms Are Liars

by aPaperCupCut



Category: Penumbra (Video Games)
Genre: Drabble, LET CLARENCE WATCH ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE (2k18), Oneshot, basically philip takes a rest and clarence iS FUCKIN HAPPY FOR ONCE, im sad because the fandoms fckin dead so here have this, let the horrible hillbilly... boston... fuck idk his accent.... let him be happy, philips got hidden emotional depths that i suck at alluring to, pls let these two horrible people be somewhat friends? i mean kinda, plus hes kinda dumb. philip dont know the difference between a parasite virus or a disease, these tags are where i goof off because the fandoms dead lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 12:50:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16197887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aPaperCupCut/pseuds/aPaperCupCut
Summary: Philip is tired, and honestly? He should probably take a nap. And a shower.Instead, he watches a movie with an overenthusiastic fan.





	Films in Dark Rooms Are Liars

There were noises lurking behind the door.

 

He had shoved several shelves and chairs to block it, as quickly and quietly as he possibly could. Philip was worn, hours spent trudging through dusty mines and rotting hallways weighing heavily on him. He wiped sweat from his forehead, the chill attacking his skin in the wake of his dirt crusted hand.

 

The virus was quiet for once, although he could feel… shifts and movement in his skull. How he could  _ feel _ such a thing was out of his grasp, and he was too unnerved by the very existence of it to even try to understand it. It was some kind of alien infection; he'd leave it at that.

 

Philip shuffled over to an armchair left in the center of the room. The material squished under him, and he didn't withhold the disgusted shudder that ran through his frame. (He could feel the faux vibrations of Clarence’s mocking chuckles.) Despite the filth, he felt his tense body relax ever so slightly, and he let his eyes skirt over the dark room.

 

He'd pushed all three of the bookcases to block the door, but there were shelves still lining the walls. Sitting on the table next to him was a dusty projector, connected to an old CD drive. Why someone would hook it up, he didn't know, but he doubted it worked very well, even in the most optimal of conditions. Philip supposed that, with such entertainment centers as the ones described in that orientation email he had found, this was an extension of that. As he glanced around with a narrowed eye, he was proven right by several CD cases left on the shelves.

 

“There's not much ta do ‘ere,” Clarence suddenly rasped in his ear, making him jump. “If yer goin’ ta sit ‘round ‘ere doin’ nothin’, ya might as well throw yerself out there. Might be worth it. Ya never know.”

 

The parasite snickered, as though suicidal impulses were something to laugh about. Philip grit his teeth, unable to stop his sigh. The creature cackled at him, the noise making Philip dizzy. He kept his mouth shut, unwilling to bait the thing any longer.

 

Philip couldn't keep still, with Clarence beginning to chatter again in his ear. He stood up, limping briskly to one of the partially filled shelves. The selection was limited, and part of him was jumpy at the thought of making too much noise while the infected monster patrolled just outside. And yet…

 

Clarence gave a sudden, joyful yelp, startling Philip once more. “Ho-oly shit, woulda look at that! They've got that shit film ya never finished!”

 

Philip blinked, surprised. Sure enough, that film he had paused and never played again was sitting there.  _ It’s A Wonderful Life  _ stared back at him.

 

As if taunting him.

 

It was even cleaner than the others, absent of any filthy film from dirt and rat shit. Only the barest coating of dust covered its plastic skin.

 

“Well, go on! Ya obviously wanted a movie ta watch, go ahead! I'll be sittin’ back here, doin’ fuck all.”

 

Despite the parasite’s belligerence, and despite the pain that shot like lightning through his brain every time the bastard deigned to speak, Philip caught the sense that he really did want his host to play that movie in particular. But why…

 

It went off like a lightbulb. Why he took so long remembering -- but Philip blamed that on his… decidedly decreased intelligence. He could blame it on Clarence’s fingers messing around in his memories, right?

 

He shook himself, brushing gloves fingers across the movie’s casing gently. The last he had tried to watch it… he remembered that, at least.

 

Maybe he shouldn't, though.

 

Clarence barked a laugh, and Philip, slowly growing desensitized to the virus’ random outbursts, simply sighed and moved back to the armchair. He didn't know if Clarence could see his every thought, but he'd like to pretend it couldn't.

 

“Oh, I see pretty much e-ver-ry-thang. Don' be such a pussy, Philip-bilip. We all know how wittle baby Phiwip missed his big stwong daddy. C’mere, if ya just open that door--”

 

Philip vigorously shook his head, unwilling to ever -  _ ever  _ \- speak to it. Or to ever die like that. And he didn't want to think about his father. Not now that he'd seen… so much. It didn't matter if he'd stopped watching the film because of his parents; he'd finish it now. Maybe Clarence would hate it.  _ That _ would be something to brighten his day.

 

“Suit yerself. Never know when that door’'ll be better than this shit. And fuck ya, I'm gonna love it.”

 

Philip sighed again, and, with a small prayer sent to God - or the Tuurngait, or whatever else was out there - slipped the CD into the player. He cast a quick glance to the blockage, but relaxed when he saw how much shit was in the way. If he played it quietly enough, maybe the sounds wouldn't seep out. After all, he'd played several cassette tapes without danger before.

 

He rubbed his chilled hands together, smiling as the projecter lit up. The player whirred, oddly comforting in the rotten silence of the room - silent except for the odd movements Philip could hear in his head, and Clarence’s small, weird noises. He closed his eyes, and let himself believe, for a brief moment, that he was back home - warm, wrapped in a blanket, his TV times in on his favourite channel. He would be drinking a cup of warm jasmine tea, and the snow outside - no, it wouldn't be snow, it'd be a warm spring shower. The television would hum, and he would find himself moved gently into sleeping--

 

“IT'S STARTIN’! PHILIP, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! OPEN YER FUCKIN’ EYES!” 

 

And Philip jolted awake, the grainy black and white film searing into his vision. He blinked rapidly, but as his vision returned and the ringing in his ears faded, he noted the earnest excitement in Clarence’s voice. How childish, to get so eager over a movie.

 

“Oh, shut yer trap. I'm enjoyin’ the movie!”

 

Philip, despite himself, let out a breathy laugh.

 

They sat there in the dark room, the light from the projector casting the shadows into sharp relief. As Clarence’s happy - for the strange creature was  _ happy, _ actually  _ happy _ \- bursts of noise and ramblings guided them through the film, Philip let himself believe, once more, that everything was going to be ok.

**Author's Note:**

> this fandom... is dead *sobs* plus im posting this at almost 2 am. so yup.
> 
> anyway yall ive got some heacannons I MUST SHARE SOMEWHERE
> 
> so uh
> 
> yeah i am terrible with subtly and i am never forgiving clarence eVEN THOUGH I STILL LOVE HIM
> 
> also the formats shitty because uhhhhhh i wrote this in under an hour
> 
> but - i do plan to write a crossover fic with penumbra in the future (distant or soon? who knows. ive got the first chap written tho) so, um, if anybodys happy for more content, theres that to look forward to? but then again, crossover fics can be very bad...
> 
> hope yall have a good night/day/whatever anyway!!! pls review? if ya want to? hehe, yeah, im gonna get off the soap box now...
> 
> (did anyone catch the jab at the black plague's ending? lol im so fucking witty man)


End file.
